Second-year Indians manager Manny Acta summed up the life of former Indians pitching great Bob Feller rather poignantly when he adressed the media Thursday before the Indians workout prior to Friday's season-opener against the Chicago White Sox.

"It's too bad that a big majority of the young people in our country don't know what Bob Feller actually meant to America and to baseball," Acta said after attending Feller's public memorial service earlier in the day. "Bob Feller gave his life, his soul to the Cleveland Indians, Major League baseball and most importantly, to America. I don't know how many athletes in any sport - you name it - at 23 years of age would volunteer to go right now to Afghanistan for four years in the middle of their prime."

Bell, 28, batted .293 with 17 doubles, six home runs, 46 runs and 49 RBI at Triple-A Pawtucket in 2010. He was a 39th-round pick in the 2005 draft out of Nicholls State and has been assigned to Columbus.

GOODYEAR, ARIZ.: The Indians made four more cuts to trim the major-league camp to 33 players.

Nevertheless, they have picked their 25-man roster, and the only chore remaining is to clear spots on the 40-man roster to make room for non-roster players who made the club.

This morning moves mean that Lou Marson will be the backup catcher, Frank Herrmann, Justin Germano and Vinnie Pestano will join the bullpen and that Adam Everett will be the utility infielder, specializing in shortstop.

GOODYEAR, ARIZ.: For one of the few times spring, Josh Tomlin had problems retiring batters, as the Indians lost to the Giants 8-5 Saturday night.

Tomlin extricated himself from a bases-loaded jam in the first and retired the side in order in the second but gave up a two-run homer to Brandon Belt in the third. After an uneventful fourth, Tomlin got in trouble in the fifth, allowing a two-run homer to Roger Kieschnick and a bloop RBI single to Belt.

Altogether, Tomlin gave up five runs, eight hits and one walk, striking out five and throwing two wild pitches in five innings. Late last week, Tomlin was officially named to the rotation. Did he have a letdown after his intensive drive to win the job? Nobody knows for sure.

GOODYEAR, ARIZ.: The Indians announced that Travis Buck and Shelley Duncan officially have made the team as reserve outfielders and that Jack Hannahan would open the season at third.

The Tribe also reduced the training camp roster to five, leaving 38 players. Left-hander David Huff, right-hander Jeanmar Gomez and outfielder Ezequiel Carrera were optioned to Columbus. Right-handers Anthony Reyes and Doug Mathis were re-assigned to the minor-league camp.

Reyes' bid to win a job in the rotation hit a snag because of a sore elbow. He has returned to the mound but did not have enough time to contend for the 25-man roster. Mathis, signed to a minor-league contract, has an out-clause in his deal. He will take a day or two to decide whether he wants to accept the assignment to Triple-A or become a free agent.

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ.: David Huff pitched five shutut innings against the Giants Thursday night, but his impressive performance probably was too little, too late in his quest to win a job in the Indians' rotation.

Manager Manny Acta announced earlier in the day that he would reveal the identity of the pitcher who will fill the only vacant spot in the rotation. The overwhelming favorite is Josh Tomlin.

The Cleveland Indians announced the launch of the club’s social media strategy for the 2011 Major League Baseball Season. In 2011, the Tribe will build upon a successful social media foothold established in 2010 to further engage fans and promote the Indians brand, the game of baseball, Progressive Field and the City of Cleveland.

Quickly becoming one of “MLB’s most Twitter-friendly teams” according to ESPN the Magazine, the Indians plan to offer increased access to members of the organization in 2011 via social media platforms and interactive events. The Tribe’s strategic plan also includes a physical enhancement at Progressive Field to capitalize on the Tribe’s social media success in 2010 and the launch of a new innovative social media ticket offer.

The Cleveland Blues Base Ball Club is proud to host this year’s official Vintage Base Ball Association (VBBA) Convention.This weekend, almost 60 players will represent more than 40 teams from across the country. Dressed in period attire, teams will face-off in 1800’s-era, bare-handed base ball matches at Cleveland’s historic League Park.

On Saturday from 1:30 until 3:30 p.m., “hurlers” and “behinds” will report to League Park. Fans – or “cranks” – are invited to tour Cleveland’s legendary ballpark and view vintage base ball matches as they would have been played over a century ago. Games will be held rain or shine. Street parking is available and lawn chairs are permitted.

Attendees at this year’s VBBA Convention will hear from radio 100.1’s “Ed in the Morning,” author and baseball historian Scott Longert and more. The VBBA is now entering its 16th year of operation. The organization has grown from 13 clubs to over 70 during that time.

As a direct result of the efforts of the VBBA, the game of vintage base ball has grown, by some estimates, to over 250 clubs in North America. Visit www.vbba.org for more information.

This year’s VBBA Convention is brought to you by the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Cleveland Blues Base Ball Club, League Park Society, Cleveland Indians, City of Cleveland, Greater Cleveland Sport Commission, Positively Cleveland, The Clevelander Bar & Grill, Bertman’s Ballpark Mustard and many more.

GOODYEAR, ARIZ.: Jensen Lewis cleared waivers this morning and was outrighted to Columbus, ending his bid to capture a spot in the bullpen.

When he came to camp, he was one of the favorites to win one of two jobs as a reliever, but in his last two appearances he struggled to get anyone out. The final straw with his bosses probably was giving up two, three-run homers in the same innings in a game against Milwaukee last week.

""He's had some success in the past, and we need to get him back on track,'' manager Manny Acta said. ""Maybe he can help us down the road. Plus we can't be unfair to the other guys who are throwing the ball well.''

SURPRISE, ARIZ.: According to an internet report, Jensen Lewis has been placed on waivers, which is no surprise if it is true.

Lewis has struggled in his past two outings and seems to have put his spot in the bullpen in jeopardy. Because he is out of options, the Indians cannot send him to Triple-A unless he clears waivers. Moreover, the club can find out if a team is willing to make a deal for Lewis if his name is on the waiver wire.

GOODYEAR, ARIZ.: Outfielder Nick Weglarz is back in Cleveland to get a second opinion after tearing the meniscus in his left knee last Thursday while he was running the bases.

Doctors here made the initial diagnosis. Weglarz will see Dr. Rick Parker at the Cleveland Clinic to determine the treatment, which could include surgery. Weglarz, 23, is a promising power hitter who hit 13 home runs (combined) at Akron and Columbus in 87 games last year.

Grady Sizemore tested his surgically repaired left knee in a game for tghe first time since May 16, 2010, when he led off as the designated hitter and grounded to second base.

GOODYEAR, ARIZ.: After Jason Donald continued to experience pain in his left hand, he underwent a C-T scan that showed a crack in the bone of his middle finger.

""Jason had residual symptoms during his minor-league (defensive) work a few days ago,'' head trainer Lonnie Soloff said this morning. ""A C-T scan showed a small crack at the base of his long finger. He will have no baseball activity for seven days, at which time he will return to hitting.''

GOODYEAR, ARIZ.: If they were still in the competition to become the Tribe's No. 5 starter (they probably were not), Jeanmar Gomez and David Huff did nothing to help themselves this afternoon in a split-squad game won by the Royals 6-5.

Gomez started and gave up three runs, four hits and two walks in four innings, raising his spring ERA to 6.43. Huff followedand allowed three runs ande six hits in 2 1/3 innings, lifting his ERA to 8.25. Neither pitcher has been able to keep pace with Josh Tomlin, the likely winner in the battle to round out the rotation.

GOODYEAR, ARIZ.: Grady Sizemore will begin the final test of his surgically repaired knee on Sunday, when he runs the bases.

""If everything keeps progressing, he will play in games some time between the 20th and 30th,'' said manager Manny Acta, purposely trying to be vague. More than likely, if Sizemore suffers no setbacks, it will be much closer to the 20th than the 30th.

Even when Sizemore begins to play center field or be the designated hitter in exhibition games, you won't see him playing nine innings.

GOODYEAR, ARIZ.: Nick Johnson, who has been in the Phoenix area for five months trying to stay in shape, reported to the Indians' camp this morning with his right wrist immobilized.

He underwent a fourth operation to repair the wrist last month at the Cleveland Clinic, so don't expect him to be out taking batting practice any time soon.

Asked when he might be able to play, Johnson said, ""I don't klnow. I had the stitches out today. Now, I need to get my range of motion back and get the stiffness out, then I can start swinging. They took the tendon out of the wrist, so hopefully there won't be any more pain.''

GOODYEAR, ARIZ.: Jason Donald (bruised hand) took batting practice this morning and expects to play third base in Thursday's game against the Cubs. Anthony Reyes (elbow soreness) will throw his third bullpen session Friday and hopes to cleared to pitch in a game after that.

With the Aeros 2011 season at Canal Park less than one month away, single-game tickets will go on sale Saturday, March 12 at 9 a.m.

Single-game tickets for the 2011 season will be available for purchase at 9 a.m. through the Aeros website (www.akronaeros.com). Aeros single-game tickets will go on sale by phone (330.253.5153) at 10 a.m. Canal Park’s box office and Infield Outfitters (the Aeros Team Shop at Canal Park) will be open from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, March 12 for in-person ticket purchases.

GLENDALE, ARIZ.: As expected, the Indians signed veteran first baseman Nick Johnson to a minor-league contract this afternoon, but the talented and oft-injured ex-Yankee won't be seeing the field for awhile.

Since last May, the 32-year-old has undergone three operations on his right wrist, the most recent in February at the Cleveland Clinic. He has a career .401 on-base percentage and .270 batting average with New York, Washington, and Florida. The wrist injury limited him to 24 games in 2010.

Johnson will report to big-league camp next week to continue his rehabilitation.

GOODYEAR, ARIZ.: Jason Donald's sore left hand turned out to be only a bruinse.

After the Indians' third baseman was struck in the hand in the second inning with a fastball thrown by White Sox starter Gavin Floyd, he stayed in the game to play third but was removed for a pinch hitter in the bottom of the third. He was taken for X-rays, which showed fracture to any of the bones in the top of the hand.

""It was a heater from Floyd that got me pretty good in the hand,'' Donald said. ""But X-rays were negative, thankfully. Hopefully, in a day or two I can play again.''

SURPRISE, ARIZ.: Depite giving up a combined three runs and eight hits in five innings, manager Manny Acta praised the workmanship of Mitch Talbot and Josh Tomlin in the Indians' 11-9 loss to the Rangers today.

""I liked the way Talbot threw first-pitch strikes,'' Acta said. ""Only one guy was ahead 1-and-0. I also liked the way Tomlin went to his curveball the last inning. It's a good pitch, and he needs to throw all his pitches.''

GOODYEAR, Ariz.: The trade that sent Aaron Laffey to the Mariners in exchange for a minor-league second baseman was consummated mostly to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Chad Durbin.

""We had to make a difficult decision for our roster,'' General Manager Chris Antonetti said this morning. ""Ultimately, we were able to place Aaron on a team that had room on its 40-man, but primarily it was to clear a spot for Chad Durbin.''

Laffey was one of five nominal contenders to be the Indians' fifth starter, but his chances of beating out Josh Tomlin, Jeanmar Gomez, Anthony Reyes and David Huff were slim.

GOODYEAR, Ariz.: While Indians fans might be prone to hand-wringing and frustration at the plight of Grady Sizemore, the club's heaed trainer, Lonnie Soloff, is pleased with the outfielder's progress after undergoing microfracture surgery to his knee last summer.

Asked whether Sizemore is behind or keeping up with the rehab schedule, Soloff said, ""He's where we hoped he would be.''

GOODYEAR, Ariz.: The Indians made the Chad Durbin signing official, but he won't throw in games for seven to 10 days, because he has not been in a spring training camp.

The next issue is who gets lopped off the 40-man roster to make room for Durbin. It appears that Luis Valbuena is the most vulnerable. The Tribe is well-covered at second base, and Valbuena has declined as a hitter the past two years. Another possibility: Aaton Laffey might be expendable, but he is left-handed, can start and relieve and is more tradeable than Valbuena.

GOODYEAR, Ariz.: What has long been suspected about Grady Sizemore was stated officially by General Manager Chris Antonetti this morning.

""There is still a possibility, but it's less likely than more likely he'll be ready for the start of the season,'' Antonetti said. ""We're hoping it will be close to the start. Whether it's a few days or a few weeks, we don't know yet.''